CONTRACTION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does contraction mean? 

• CONTRACTION (noun)
  The noun CONTRACTION has 4 senses:

1. (physiology) a shortening or tensing of a part or organ (especially of a muscle or muscle fiber)

2. the process or result of becoming smaller or pressed together

3. a word formed from two or more words by omitting or combining some sounds

4. the act of decreasing (something) in size or volume or quantity or scope

  Familiarity information: CONTRACTION used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CONTRACTION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(physiology) a shortening or tensing of a part or organ (especially of a muscle or muscle fiber)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

contraction; muscle contraction; muscular contraction

Hypernyms ("contraction" is a kind of...):

shortening (act of decreasing in length)

Domain category:

physiology (the branch of the biological sciences dealing with the functioning of organisms)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "contraction"):

contracture (an abnormal and usually permanent contraction of a muscle)

tetanus (a sustained muscular contraction resulting from a rapid series of nerve impulses)

uterine contraction (a rhythmic tightening in labor of the upper uterine musculature that contracts the size of the uterus and pushes the fetus toward the birth canal)

Braxton-Hicks contraction; false labor (painless contractions of the muscles of the uterus that continue throughout pregnancy with increasing frequency)

vaginismus (muscular contraction that causes the vagina to close; usually an anxiety reaction before coitus or pelvic examination)

Derivation:

contract (squeeze or press together)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The process or result of becoming smaller or pressed together

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

compression; condensation; contraction

Context example:

the contraction of a gas on cooling

Hypernyms ("contraction" is a kind of...):

shrinkage; shrinking (process or result of becoming less or smaller)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "contraction"):

coarctation; constriction (tight or narrow compression)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A word formed from two or more words by omitting or combining some sounds

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Context example:

'o'clock' is a contraction of 'of the clock'

Hypernyms ("contraction" is a kind of...):

word (a unit of language that native speakers can identify)

Sense 4

Meaning:

The act of decreasing (something) in size or volume or quantity or scope

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("contraction" is a kind of...):

decrease; diminution; reduction; step-down (the act of decreasing or reducing something)

Antonym:

expansion (the act of increasing (something) in size or volume or quantity or scope)

Derivation:

contract (become smaller or draw together)

contract (reduce in scope while retaining essential elements)

contract (make or become more narrow or restricted)

contract (compress or concentrate)

contract (make smaller)

 Context examples 

A sudden and involuntary contraction of the bladder wall.

(Bladder Spasm, NCI Thesaurus)

A synthetic pyridinylmethylene-diacetate ester derivative stimulant laxative, Bisacodyl acts with a parasympathetic effect directly on mucosal sensory nerves, increasing peristaltic contractions.

(Bisacodyl, NCI Thesaurus)

Uterine contractions resulting in cervical change (dilation and/or effacement).

(Birthing Labor, NCI Thesaurus)

A polysaccharide vaccine used to prevent contraction of meningococcal meningitis.

(Meningococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine MPSV4, NCI Thesaurus)

This results in arterial vasoconstriction and increased uterine smooth muscle contractions.

(Methylergonovine Maleate, NCI Thesaurus)

This causes smooth muscle contraction and leads to an elevation of blood pressure.

(Midodrine, NCI Thesaurus)

A drug that increases the motility (movements and contractions) of the stomach and upper intestine.

(Metoclopramide, NCI Dictionary)

This protein is involved in both G-protein coupled receptor signaling and muscle contraction.

(Beta-Adrenergic Receptor Kinase 1, NCI Thesaurus)

This allele, which encodes vasopressin V1a receptor protein, is involved in the mediation of cell contraction and proliferation, platelet aggregation, release of coagulation factor and glycogenolysis.

(AVPR1A wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

Any agent that prevents or relieves muscle spasms, mainly ones originating from smooth muscle contractions of the stomach, bladder and intestines.

(Antispasmodic Agent, NCI Thesaurus)